Court to hear candidate’s complaint

Mayoral hopeful says board was biased when it bumped him from ballot

ROCK FALLS – Mayoral hopeful Allen Boseneiler says the city’s Electoral Board members were “biased and prejudiced” when they disqualified him from April’s ballot.

A judicial review of the decision will be held Feb. 8.

Incumbent Mayor David Blanton and City Clerk Bill Wescott also are running for mayor.

Boseneiler unsuccessfully challenged their candidacies.

At last week’s special Rock Falls Board of Elections meeting, held to rule on the challenges, the three board members determined he was not eligible to run because at the time he filed his petitions, he had outstanding fines with the city, which is against state rules.

Boseneiler, who paid his fines 6 hours after filing his paperwork, made his request for judicial review Friday in Whiteside County Circuit Court.

Aldermen Glen Kuhlemier and Lee Folsom and Rock Falls resident Pamela Erby were appointed to the board.

Boseneiler takes issue with the fact that all three signed Blanton’s petitions for mayor.

In his handwritten request to the court, Boseneiler said it’s his belief that “all three members are indicative of obvious bias and would show undue prejudice in any and all actions.”

Ken Menzel, deputy general counsel for the state Board of Elections, said he doesn’t think Boseneiler “is going to have a case to point to that clearly supports his position.”

“The fact that there are political affiliations among an electoral set of members hasn’t been the sort of thing that in the past has been assumed to be a bias that would disqualify them from serving,” Menzel said.

In addition, state municipal code prevents someone with outstanding fines from running for certain offices, including mayor, he said.

Rock Falls City Attorney Jim Reese was not available to comment Wednesday on Boseneiler’s request.

Boseneiler has said he is considering mounting a write-in campaign for the April 9 election.